More on manure

[ceres]

Radio 4 Home Planet did a piece this week.  Listen here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/homeplanet.shtml

It's 21:20 into the programme.

I've been trying to find out exactly what is happening in terms of the investigation into aminopyralid.  This is what the PSD have replied:

"It is now up to Dow to demonstrate that they can ensure that any affected
manure resulting from the use of the aminopyralid products is not used
inappropriately, although we will have to be satisifed that this will
work, if the approvals are to be reinstated.  If the approvals are
reinstated, and there is no guarantee that this will be the case, we
will almost certainly address this point in any information we do
publish on the reinstatement since this is a key aspect of the problem."

[ceres]

[littlebabybird]

ceres

thank you for not letting it get forgotten

lbb

[ceres]

The Home Planet programme was a disappointment.  There was a bit of an implication that it was our fault for not checking that the manure was safe and for using manure that was too fresh.  Worse, though they advised stacking manure to rot down before using it and that would make it safe.  That's wrong and contrary to the advice from Dow and the RHS.

I emailed the producers.  Their reply didn't address the 'it's our fault' issue but they are going to clarify the stacking issue in the programme next Tuesday.

[Trevor_D]

Good! I didn't hear the programme, but my wife did and she thought it was a bit limp.

ceres

thank you for not letting it get forgotten

lbb

Yes, thanks for all your work.

I've being showing quite a few new & prospective plot-holders around the site in the past few weeks. As we have a large & very visible manure heap just outside our stables entrance, the subject always came up. Every one of them had heard or read about the problem! And most of them (and plenty of our current plot-holders as well) thanked us for being on top of things - we update the information on our notice-boards regularly - and you in particular for pushing the matter.

[PurpleHeather]

I would suggest that Dow will find it impossible to ensure that aminopyralid will not get into the food chain. Compost and manure are used by gardeners for vegetable and flower growing.

Also isn't the herbicide licensed to be used on crops grown for animal bedding and in turn isn't this being put into the 'green bins' which is made into compost?

A lot of people are not too fussy about what they put into their bins. They just want to get rid of their rubbish.

The compost would then contain the weed killer which will effect garden plants grown in it. Sweet peas, cosmos, asters and dahlias. To name a few are killed off with it.

How are Dow going to police what the industries who use their product  do, in turn, with the by-product of manure or grass cuttings?